The CARIS Project
by Tabbitha Gylls
Summary: CARIS was never meant to exist, she was only to remain a theory. Knowing little about her past and equipped with powers she can't control or understand, she's left at the doorstep of the King of Asgard for protection. For her sake and the sake of humanity. (More characters from the MCU will appear, multiple pairings, and rated T for language.)
1. How It Starts

**~.I.~**

* * *

"I'm to stay here then?" the dulled voice of a young girl carried through the great hall. Her words were filled with sorrow and a lack of understanding. "Is that what I'm going to be? Just another relic hidden in Asgard."

"Caris, you _are_ a relic. Not just because of what you are, but _who_ you are. To me," a man explained to her, expressing the same pain Caris felt. The catch in his throat was obvious, though he tried to stay strong for her sake.

"Then why are you leaving me?" Caris was caught between anger and heartbreak, but before she could decide which emotion was prominent, a sob threatened from deep within her chest. The man pulled her into a tight hug, truly not wanting to let go.

"You'll be safe here. Safer than with me," he tried. Caris pulled far away as tears welled in her eyes.

"I don't care! I don't want to be here, I just want to stay with you!" she protested angrily. Her outburst reminded the man of the fact that she was just a was a child who looked to him as a father. A child who, despite her nearly limitless knowledge, couldn't even begin to understand what was happening and why he had to leave her in a strange realm.

"Caris, listen to me-"

"No! You listen to me!" The tears broke free from the rims of Caris's eyes. "I don't have to stay here. We can keep running-"

"Caris…"

"-they won't find us-"

"Caris."

"-we would never stay in one place for too long, you never do anyways-"

"Caris!" The man only raised his voice enough to snap the girl out of her knelt, placing both of his hands on either side of Caris's now red and swollen face. Pity gleamed in his coffee colored eyes as he momentarily broke the stream of tears on her cheek with a thumb. "You'll understand one day, and I hope that understanding doesn't come with resentment. I'm trying to protect you, and this is the most secure solution."

He kissed her forehead gently, whispering something only meant for her ears before pulling away. Tears continued to crawl down her face as she watched the man she thought of as her hero- her family- return to his box and leave her behind. The man turned back with a sad smile before he entered.

"No!" Caris's scream broke the man's heart, but he closed the door behind him. Caris broke into a sprint, but it was too late. The man and his box had vanished, leaving her in a realm full of strangers.

She collapsed into a sobbing heap where the box once stood.

"You were brilliant," his whispered sentiment echoed in Caris's mind. She was unable to stop the tears from turning to sobs. She was unable to stop _him_.

He was gone.

She was alone. Abandoned. Caris wished desperately that the man would reappear, claiming it was only an elaborate prank. After the mischief was revealed, he would tell her that he would truly never leave her and he would always be there for her.

But he didn't. For this was no prank.

A comforting hand reached her shoulder, causing her to frantically attempt to compose herself. All hope for composure was lost when the hand pulled her into a hug.

"Shh, it's alright," a woman comforted the child.

"Please, do not think of this as a sentencing," an older man behind her spoke. He was the Odin King, the ruler of this realm. It was his queen, Frigga, who came to Caris's side. "You are valuable, there is absolutely no doubt. However, I can assure you, you'll be treated as if you were my own child. You'll not be so cruelly locked in a vault to wither away, as you may think."

"I'm sorry, Your Highness, I didn't mean to seem ungrateful," the child sniffed as she respectfully bowed her head before the king. Her sense of maturity was beginning to return to her as she calmed herself, though a sadness veiled her.

"We do not think you ungrateful, my dear," Frigga shot her husband a glare as she brushed the girl's crimson hair out of her face."Your reaction is most understandable."

"Thank you for your kindness, it's very generous of you. Both of you," Caris looked up at the couple from where she sat.

"You are most welcome in Asgard," Odin smiled softly. He was a grand individual, all in all. He stood tall and had a severe look about him. Battle had hardened the godlike figure and he bore the scars of it both physically and internally. The one eye that was visible told stories that his mouth would never dare utter, and the other was covered by an ornately carved, gold eyepatch. His kingly robes were the same shimmering shade; Caris could imagine armor in their place.

The child straightened and wiped the remaining tears from her cheeks before standing. Frigga watched Caris carefully as if she was injured; her hands not far from the girl as she rose. The royal pair looked at each other, carrying on a silent conversation that ended when the queen nodded.

"Come with me," Frigga took Caris's hand in her own. Immediately, Caris's power activated, tapping into the queen's timeline. She saw a much younger version of the newly joined king and queen smiling before their subjects at what Caris interpreted as their wedding. Odin still had his sight in this vision. There was a flash of two baby boys and they grew very fast before her eyes. They looked very different from one another but they were out of focus. Finally, Caris saw the queen fighting a dark creature to protect a woman, ultimately to her death.

Caris tore her hand from the queen's as if she had touched a hot coal. She tried to make sense of her vision as Frigga's brows drew together, trying to assess what was wrong. Odin wore a knowing look and placed a hand on his wife's shoulder.

"The child has great power, Frigga," he explained.

"I'm sorry, I can't control it," the girl began to cry again. "It only happens once, but I don't want it to happen at all."

"It is alright, do not fret," Frigga's expression softened immediately. Though she was curious, she did not dare push the child any further. She offered her hand once more. "Let us clean you up. Perhaps a warm bath with do you some good. Then I would like to introduce you to someone."

Caris looked at Frigga's hand as if it were a vicious animal, but she accepted it, trying to banish her previous vision. She was relieved when nothing happened at her touch.

The two left the king in his throne room as Frigga showed the girl to her new quarters. The room was extravagant, as was everything Caris saw in Asgard. Everything was made of gold. The buildings, the furniture, and even the cutlery. Ornate bowls sat on almost every hard surface, bountiful with fresh and colorful fruits. Her room only consisted of three walls, the fourth lead to a large balcony overlooking the vast beauty of the realm. The buildings were all monumental structures; each very different from the next to fit its specific function, yet they mimicked the look of the main castle. Beyond the structures, water encased the world. Pools and streams lead to an endless sea that shimmered like gems. Near the horizon, Caris spotted a glowing bridge that glimmered an array of colors without moving. This bridge lead only to an odd sphere.

 _The Bifrost_ , Caris remembered the name of the rainbow bridge that connected the nine realms.

The more Caris observed, the more she felt intrigued and out of place. It was obvious Asgard was not only a realm for kings, but it was a realm for gods. She was not royal nor was she godly. Even after she was changed out of her Midgardian clothes following a luxurious bath, it was still plain to see that she didn't belong.

Before, she had no care about her looks. She wore was was comfortable and what was easiest to maneuver in, as she did a lot of running in her travels.

Caris looked at the imposter staring back at her in the large mirror before her. She had donned a dress that glistened with every shade of blue imaginable. It accentuated the blue in her eyes, making her look enchanted. The name of the fabric was impossible to place, but it was the softest, most beautiful material she'd ever come in contact with. Frigga had pulled the girl's long and once untamed crimson hair into neat braids with skill. The mirror held the image of a princess, not the image of Caris.

"Do you feel better?" Frigga stood behind her, tidying her work on Caris's hair. Caris nodded, but couldn't bring her eyes away from her reflection. The queen pushed the braid over the girl's shoulder and made eye contact in the mirror as she hugged her shoulders. "Would you like to meet my sons? Perhaps they could help lend you to better spirits, I know they do for me."

Caris nodded silently again, truly wishing to sulk but not wishing to upset the king and queen. Once again she followed Frigga throughout the castle only a short ways down a hall into a room much like her own. However, in this room, there were two large beds on either side and in the middle, a pair of young boys were on the floor fighting. One boy was on top, seemingly attacking the other. Frigga rushed in with concern painting her face trying to tear the two apart.

"Thor! Loki! What is this nonsense?" Frigga demanded through their screaming, or rather their laughter. The blonde boy that appeared to be the attacker yielded and fell to the ground with a smile. The other boy with black hair giggled next to him as they sat up. Frigga's concern quickly morphed into confusion.

"We were only playing, mother," the blonde boy laughed. "Loki was a Frost Giant and I was the mightiest warrior of Asgard, coming to slay them all. Just like father!"

"Mightiest, hardly," the dark haired boy, Loki, giggled, earning another mock attack.

"Thor, stop it!" Frigga spoke to the blonde boy, and he quickly obeyed. "You both know your father and I do not approve of you playing this way."

The boys stopped laughing.

"Sorry mother," the pair murmured sadly, wishing to continue their game. It was then the boys noticed the strange girl standing awkwardly in their doorway where their mother had left her.

"Who is she?" Thor pointed. Frigga looked and beckoned the girl.

"This is Caris. She's from a faraway land and she's going to stay with us for some time. Caris, these are my sons, Thor and Loki," she explained, speaking to both parties.

"A pleasure," she bowed even though they looked to be about her age, whatever that was, they were royalty. The pair seemed polar opposites. Thor seemed strong for a boy and wore an infectious, glowing smile that was even expressed vividly in his bright blue eyes. His hair was blonde and unkempt as opposed to the Loki's stark black locks that he straightened as she spoke. Loki seemed more withdrawn in comparison to his brother, and mischief glimmered in his green eyes. He was slender and much paler than Thor. Caris's brain tried to find some sliver of similarity between the two of them, but failed.

"Where are you from?" Thor asked, intrigued.

" _A faraway land_ , don't you listen?" Loki responded before Caris could. Thor rolled his eyes as his brother laughed.

"I apologize, they seem to have forgotten their manners," Frigga shook her head and glared at the boys. She began to guide Caris out of the room while the boys were caught in a new conversation of their own. "Perhaps we can return later."

"Wait!" Loki called, noticing their leaving. "Won't you stay with us Caris?"

"I promise we will play something different," Thor interjected. "Or we could show you around the castle! Then you can tell us all about where you came from."

Caris looked to Frigga as if to ask for her permission. The queen simply nodded and exited, smiling at her children accepting their new friend. After a while of watching the brothers bicker and joke with one another, Caris thought that there might be one place she truly felt she belonged in Asgard.

* * *

 **AN:** Hi there, thank you so much for reading! This chapter was a short little introduction and part of a project I plan to update every day this next month and beyond.  
 **This story crosses through the _entire_ Marvel Cinematic Universe (Including Fox). Also I do not own any part of Marvel.**  
That being said, I was unsure how to accurately categorize it, but the bulk of it takes place with the characters of both _T_ _he Avengers_ and _Age of Ultron_ , so here it is.  
There was a lot of mystery about "the man" in the beginning. Yes, it was the Doctor, but spoiler alert: this was his only cameo. I originally created Caris about 6 years ago and the character at the time was a Doctor Who crossover. I wanted to stay somewhat true to my character and her roots, but from now on this is solely a Marvel fic.  
Review if you wish, thanks again, and I hope to see you tomorrow :)


	2. Bildshnipe Hunting

_*UPDATED*_

 **~.II.~**

* * *

 _A few centuries later…_

Caris ran as fast as she could. She didn't dare glance over her shoulder to see if anyone was still following her for fear of losing her footing. A loud, primal roar gave her proof enough that she was not alone. She could feel the ground tremble as the creature neared her, catching her scent. Cursing to herself repeatedly, she began to search frantically for some way to get the creature off of her trail. Her feet were beginning to fail her as the rumbling earth knocked her rhythmic steps off beat.

The sound of thunder reached her ears she stopped, laughing breathlessly as she looked to the sky. Thor appeared like a rocket, shooting overhead and behind her. The bildshnipe let out another roar that rattled her chest as it came into view between the trees. Before it could reach any further, Thor hit the enormous creature full-throttle, right between the eyes.

"Caris!" Loki called, appearing through the brush. He drew Caris's attention away from the bildshnipe. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she panted. "I think Thor got this one."

As if to prove her wrong, Thor came flying in the opposite direction. Caris and Loki looked at one another in a panic as they realized Thor was not powering his flight. Another chest rattling roar indicated that Thor had only agitated the creature.

"Run!" Loki immediately grabbed Caris's arm, the pair pressing forward towards the city with the bildshnipe in hot was no sign of Thor anywhere, nor another route away from the creature that launched him. They were headed straight for the immaculate, royal city of Asgard.

"I hope you have a plan to get out of this, Loki!" she shouted as they fled.

"ME? I'm not the one who woke the damned creature," Loki growled, slightly annoyed.

"Now's not the time for blame! Do you have a plan or not?"

Loki looked around, the gears in his mind working speedily to form some sort of escape. The city was visible now between what little trees were left before a drop in the landscape. Not only a drop, but a cliff.

"Yes," he grinned, but Caris didn't appreciate the all too joyous gleam in his eyes. She knew what that entailed. They reached the end of the trees when he grabbed her hand. "When I say jump-"

"Are you mad?!"

"JUMP!" She followed his command against her better judgement who at the time hadn't had the time to come into play. She only realized how horrible a plan it had been as they were plummeting towards the shimmering waters hundreds of feet below them. Only a second seemed to pass between her feet hitting the water and her head resurfacing with a large gasp. As she treaded water, she quickly located Loki and looked back up to the cliff where the bildshnipe deafeningly proclaimed its dominance once more.

"That went well," Loki remarked, earning a glare from his friend.

"Well, lucky for us you think quick on your feet," Caris began to swim towards the city.

"Perhaps we are just lucky," he followed her. "Hopefully we'll be lucky enough my father didn't hear that disgusting creature."

The 'disgusting creature' watched them as they swam to the shore. Bildshnipe were mindless creatures, but they had an unforgiving temper. Though he did not have the scales nor the antlers, Thor could have easily been mistaken for this beast at times. Once he had regained his bearings from being tossed through the air like an empty sack, he returned with a fierce vengeance. The beast ran the length of the cliff as he spotted his target, swinging his hammer, Mjolnir.

"What the hell is he doing?" Caris stood drenched on the shore, staring after Thor as he squared off with the bildshnipe once more.

"He can't just walk away," Loki sighed. Once Thor had his mind made up, there was no changing it. There were no exceptions Loki and Caris had found, and they'd tried nearly everything throughout the years.

"Come on!" Caris dragged Loki, this time towards the fight. They were both waterlogged and there was no way they'd make it before Thor reached the beast, but Caris knew he couldn't take it on alone. They had to do something, or at least they would try.

Overhead on the cliff, Thor crashed into the great bildshnipe with more force than his last blow. It shook off his strike and lashed out in retaliation, swinging its enormous antlers threateningly in his direction. He dodged it, having learned from their first go around. Hammer and hoof flew at one another as their battle found a rhythm. Caris hoped they could climb to reach them before the rhythm was broken, for whomsoever broke it would most likely reign victorious. They couldn't let that be the bildshnipe.

As they ran, Loki tried to focus his magic to create a copy of his brother that flew around the beast in an attempt to confuse it. Almost instantly, an antler sliced through the apparition, banishing it from view. Loki made another attempt as they grew closer, but it was squelched once more. At that point, they were in close enough range that the fierce beast realized the Asgardian that was so annoyingly buzzing around it was not alone. Caris and Loki had managed to reach the fight right when Caris's fears were confirmed. The bildshnipe's energy surged at the sight of the pair and inspired an extra blow Thor had not anticipated. Once more, he was knocked out of the sky, landing somewhere unbeknownst to the remaining fighters. The beast set its sights on its new targets.

"It's your turn to come up with a plan," Loki stated with dry sarcasm. Caris ignored him. The scaly creature before them lowered its vast rack and reared back, readying to charge. She watched its muscles churn as it lunged forward. The beast had stopped falling for Loki's tricks, locking onto their scents. It took a leap when it neared them, lowering its head even further as it took aim. Running was no longer an option, this thing would not stop. They truthfully had no options until Thor returned- if Thor returned.

Thor was the strength of the three. It wasn't that Loki and Caris weren't capable in a fight. They were actually very skilled combatants. However in most cases they were equipped with weapons and their opponent was not a behemoth that didn't flinch at their attacks or ignore their tricks. They were fast and agile in their attacks, whereas Thor just went for brute force. Yet now because of his combat tactics, Thor was out of the battle.

As the beast neared, the pair in front of it split, giving one of them a chance to make an attack from behind. Caris ran, realizing she remained the target. She glanced over her shoulder warily, hoping to see some sign of Loki. When it started bucking, she knew. When she turned, she saw a very unamused Loki latched onto the base of one of the bildshnipe's antlers. As it bucked, it shook the ground even more than when it ran. It closed in on where Caris stood, trampling trees around it like grass. Loki couldn't control the beast, it only did the opposite of what he urged. Caris was backed into a large tree, not wanting to take her eyes from the creature. It managed to shake Loki off and he fell to the ground. The next thing she saw was a large hoof about the size of her torso heading straight for her.

She felt all of her energy pulse to her hands as she threw her arms up in front of her, perhaps as some sort of buffer. Squeezing her eyes shut, she screamed and prepared for impact. An impact that never came.

The creature let loose an injured and frightened sound, but it was moving away from her, quickly. Her eyes shot open in confusion and she saw the bildshnipe flying through the air like it had sent Thor. She looked everywhere for the warrior, but he was nowhere in sight. Only Loki stood, staring at her in awe. She looked at her hands as if there was something wrong, looking for some flaw. Had _she_ done that?

"I didn't know you could do that!" Loki exclaimed as he limped to her side.

"I didn't either," she continued to examine her hands until a loud, ground rumbling crash brought her back to the fight. She and Loki shared a wide-eyed gaze as they both reached the realization that the crash of the fallen beast was within the city.

* * *

Thor, Caris, and Loki all stood silent and sullen, each of them staring at the floor, anticipation eating away at them. The three were mess. Thor was covered in dirt and bits of grass from his being thrown- twice. Caris and Loki were still in the final stages of drying, their hair in disarray and parts of their once impeccable clothing were now ripped and torn. They all flinched as the door of the great hall opened with an angered bang. The frustration in the footsteps that followed only heightened the trio's anxiety.

" _You three_ ," Odin appeared in front of them, his face bright red. "What in the nine realms did you think you were doing?"

"Father-" Loki started.

"Silence!" the All-Father seethed. He began quietly, but as his rage increased, so did his volume. "You three managed to not only wake a bildshnipe in the middle of its hibernation, you leveled three structures with it!"

He paced in front of the three who remained quiet, awaiting their punishment.

"You three beg for responsibility, the ability to command, a chance to have conquests of your own, and yet you repeatedly show me that you are not ready. That you are still just children," Thor and Loki's jaws tightened at their father's words.

They had grown considerably, the three of them. It had been centuries, after all. The princes had both become tall and considerably handsome in their own ways. Thor seemed to be one giant muscle; his arms and legs were massive appendages that Caris would often joke were as big as she was. His face favored their father, appearing to be a much younger version of the king with his eyesight was still intact. Loki was still greatly contrasted when compared with his brother. His figure, though a great deal more muscular than he was as a child, maintained its slender shape. His jawline and cheekbones had defined themselves to give him a more regal appearance. There was no mistaking the brothers were royalty. Caris, even, had proved herself wrong all those years ago when she first came to Asgard. She had looked at herself and saw someone who was pretending to be a princess. Her looks developed over the years and with many years of being in the company of nobility, she'd grown to be something of a noble herself. She'd become beautiful, though unconventionally so. She still kept an odd look about her, but that added to her intrigue.

They'd grown up with one another from children to adults, yet Odin failed to see it. Instead, he saw the disheveled children they'd started out as.

"You three are not ready," Odin reiterated. This was their punishment, to condemn them as children until they could prove to him they were otherwise. They would not get their moment of glory like the King of Asgard, at least, not for a while. They all knew this without him saying it explicitly. The disappointment that dripped from his voice was unmistakable.

"Father, if you would give us a chance-" Thor started.

"I've given you plenty of chances!" Odin boomed. "And you throw them back in my face every time. What would you have me do?"

"Things like this happen because we are not challenged," Thor bickered, Caris and Loki shot him a glance as if to try and quiet him. He paid them no attention.

"Your challenge stands before you each day!" Odin shouted. "Yet you meet it with immaturity as if it were a game. You so desperately wish to be king, but you chose to ignore what that title entails."

"I know what it means to be king!" Thor flared his nostrils.

"No. You. Don't," Odin sent a chilling glare into his son's eyes. He retired to his throne as he wished not to quarrel with his firstborn anymore, knowing it would do no good for anyone. Thor opened his mouth to retaliate against his father's harsh words, but Caris stepped in.

"I apologize, my king, for my actions and the grievances they've caused both you and the good people of Asgard," Caris spoke up dutifully. Odin's eye watched her as she confessed, as did his sons. "I am responsible for both the awakening of the beast and it's destruction of Asgard's structures."

"You would have me believe that this was your doing?" the king was in disbelief.

"Yes, my king. I implore you, do not punish your sons for coming to my aid. I do not know my own power," she reported in a level tone. Odin and Thor looked at her with confusion, frowning at her small stature and trying to imagine her raising a massive bildshnipe over her. Loki would have done the same, had he not bore witness to the event.

"You mean to tell me you now have the strength of Thor?" Odin almost scoffed at his ward.

"In a manner, perhaps," she remained vague, not quite knowing what had happened herself. Loki met her eye, indicating it would be best the All-Father knew. Caris nodded in agreement.

"She never touched the beast, and yet she threw it in the midst of the chaos," as Loki explained, Odin's eye widened.

The king sat silent for a moment.

"Is this all that occurred?" he asked quickly.

"Yes, my king, the wakening of the beast was a... misunderstanding," Caris didn't exactly want to tell the king she had enraged the bildshnipe by playing with her young as she slept. It would only make her seem more like a child in his eyes.

"Go, I must think on what you have said," he waved his hand to dismiss them, as he was already pulled into deep thought. They filed out of the great throne room, silently, until the door was shut behind them. The trio was alone in the hallway, save a few guards.

"You definitely have beat me in the power of persuasion, at least with him," Loki sounded envious, but also proud. "I don't even know what exactly happened in there."

"I don't understand a lot of what happened today," Caris felt the king's reaction was strange. She felt odd, like something was awry. Her gaze returned to her hands, examining them as if she'd never seen them there more she could do that she didn't know about? How could an ability just sprout up out of nowhere? She'd been in peril before, but no such thing had happened in her defense. She wished she could have asked the man who left her here, but she hadn't seen him since. She'd stopped asking about him a short time after. Perhaps he didn't even have the answers she was looking for.

"Caris, are you well?" Loki asked as the brothers wore the same concern on their faces.

"She's paler than you, brother," Thor stated, not meaning offense to anyone, but stating a mere fact.

"I'm fine, a little wary from all the excitement, but I'll be alright," she offered a smile. There was a pain in her head that had begun sometime through all of the events of the day, but she was unsure when exactly it started. The pain demanded her attention in this dull moment. She ignored it, surely it was nothing to concern herself with.

"While he deliberates with himself about our punishment, I do believe I'm going to clean myself up," Caris sighed, looking down at herself. "A dip in the sea just doesn't cut it."

* * *

 **AN:** Hey there, thank you for all of the alerts! I appreciate it and I hope you all are enjoying it so far.  
Within the next few chapters, I'm planning to explore more of the relationships between the characters and go into a bit more detail about Caris and her roots. This one was to establish that the trio has grown physically and emotionally with one another and are no longer children.  
Thank you again, review if you wish, and I hope to see you tomorrow! :)


	3. Never Tear Us Apart

~.III.~

* * *

All seemed forgotten as the day gave way and the shade of night swept over Asgard. The Odin King had not yet delivered a punishment for his sons and his ward, giving Thor the impression they were in the clear. He insisted they host a feast in honor of "his sister finding her strength," as he put it. Thor had grown fond of the notion of having a little sister. Loki, however, had never considered her as such. Instead, he saw her as his dearest friend and as his confidant.

They'd gathered in their usual feasting hall and invited only their closest friends for the celebration. Their circle of friends included only the greatest warriors in all of Asgard, dubbed the Warriors Three. Fandral, Hogun, and Volstagg were closest to Thor as their prowess in battle complimented his. Hogun was the only other than Caris from another realm: Vanaheim, but he fought proudly for Asgard. Caris had also requested the presence of a young shieldmaiden, Sif, determined to prove her own valor and talent. She had seen Sif's promise through a vision when they sparred and believed wholeheartedly that she had a place among them.

Once the group had assembled and their tankards filled, Thor called attention for a toast.

"My dear little sister is the first to incapacitate a bildshnipe," Thor beamed proudly as he raised his mug. The others around the table cheered loudly and followed his example. "Let us eat and drink to her newfound strength!"

Caris tilted her head humbly as the friends jumped into the feasting without another word after a harmonious, "To Caris!"

As they ate, they shared the stories of their most recent conquests and reminisced in their tales of old. Thor overexaggerated Caris's previous victory greatly to the other warriors, though he wasn't even there to witness it. Loki set the facts straight for them.

The dull ache in Caris's head made itself more prominent as the festivities continued. The men were exceedingly boisterous, as they always were; drinking and carrying on. Feasts were not uncommon in Asgard. There was almost always something to be celebrated or some excuse for the Asgardians to gather and be merry.

After a while of their singing, sharing tales, and chugging ales, Sif challenged the Warriors Three and Thor in an arm wrestling competition. Caris slipped away to the balcony where she found some solitude and some relief for the growing pain in her temple. She'd never experienced such an annoyingly constant sense of discomfort before, but she didn't know what to attribute it to out of all of the events of the day. She couldn't pinpoint when it had started but it was only getting worse as it continued.

She looked out at the night sky as she had thousands of times before. She could remember Earth's sky and how it varied from what was sprawled before her. Earth had a view of a seemingly black space with only white, twinkling stars and a great moon. No moon was visible in the atmosphere of this domain. Asgard's sky, like the rest of the realm, held vivid colors such as dark blues, deep purples, and clusters of red and yellow stars. It was as if a galaxy stood before her. She could relate the display to that of the Aurora Borealis of the Earth's North Pole.

Though it had been quite some time since she had been to the realm known as Midgard, she still remembered much of its culture and histories. Since she never remembered actually learning such things, she would tell herself jokingly that she was born with a databank of extensive knowledge uploaded in her brain. It was only a joke to her, no one else would understand her terminology when she spoke like that.

Otherwise, Caris had essentially earned her citizenship in Asgard. She had learned their ways and lived by their rules. Even her rate of aging was nearly identical to that of the Asgardians. In all accounts she appeared to be one of them despite her Midgardian start. She didn't know much about her life before she came to Odin's realm, only what the man who had brought her from Earth had told her. She knew she didn't have a family, that she was being hunted by people with malicious intent, and that she was here because of those things. Everything else she had asked about, the man had told her she would be able to know when she was older so she could understand. She was older now, but was no closer to getting any answers about her life before Asgard.

"Might I join you?" Loki's voice brought her from her thoughts. She turned to see him in the pale starlight.

"Of course," she motioned next to where she sat on the ground against a wall.

"Too rambunctious for you tonight?" Loki chuckled as he propped himself next to his friend.

"Aren't they always?" She smiled.

"You may have a point there," Loki nodded and looked at her, sensing something was on her mind. "Is something else the matter?"

"Oh, just a headache," she shrugged.

"A headache? Is that some sort of Midgardian ailment?" Loki had always teased Caris about her origin. She'd stop caring and taking it to heart long ago.

"Yes of course, Loki," she rolled her eyes but couldn't help the smile playing on her lips. "It's because I'm originally from Midgard that my head hurts."

"Well Asgardians certainly don't experience such things," he laughed to himself for a moment, thinking of the collective group that had gathered to celebrate her. "We are quite the band of misfits, aren't we?"

"What do you mean?"

"Look at us all in attendance. Two very contrasting Asgardian princes, an ambitious shieldmaiden, three of the greatest warriors in all of Asgard- and Vanaheim, and then a Midgardian goddess-"

"Goddess?" Caris choked on a laugh as she sipped her ale. "Loki, I'm not a goddess in any realm."

"Oh, sure you're not. If you went back you'd be an object of worship. You can move things with a wave of your hand, you can see both the past and the future… What else can you do?" Loki's question turned Caris's expression to one of a sort of sadness.

"I don't know. That's what worries me, and your father, I think," she responded.

"Why do you say that?" His brows drew together.

"You saw how his whole demeanor changed when we spoke of what happened. You know I'm here because I was a possible threat to humanity-"

"That's hardly true," Loki shook his head.

"But what if it is? What if my power is growing and now endangering Asgard? What if he's looking for somewhere else to send me?"

"Caris, I think you're overreacting. My father would never send you away," Loki's tone softened.

"To protect Asgard he would," Caris replied realistically.

"I wouldn't allow it," Loki was stern as their eyes met. The silence as well as their gaze lingered a few moments longer before Loki broke both. "I know Thor wouldn't either. Nor would anyone who attended this feast."

"I'm not so sure you would have a say," Caris laughed trying to lighten the mood.

"Oh, I can guarantee we would," Loki quirked a smile. "Or at least ensure your swift return."

"I'm so lucky to have charming princes and their company looking out for me,"she returned his smile and then her expression grew serious, feeling her head throb once more. She looked him in the eyes as if she were searching for something. "You saw me, Loki… what if I can do more than we know? What if I really am a danger?"

"I know you, and I know you'd never purposefully cause harm to anyone. Perhaps you are stronger than you realize, but I'm certain it's in more ways than one," Loki's tone spoke of his faith instilled in her. It wasn't his faith that was in question in her mind, it was his father's. She unintentionally stared at Loki as she contemplated her past and tried to determine her future. She couldn't imagine her life without him and his brother. They'd always made her felt like she had a place, they were her home. She cared for them both dearly, she didn't want to put them in the way of danger. Especially if that danger was her.

"Is there something on my face?" Loki raised an eyebrow with a smirk.

"No, sorry, I was just thinking," she shook her head and looked away. He caught her chin with his fingers, sending an exhilarating chill through her jaw. Her breathing hitched and her eyes scanned his face.

"This new discovery is not your end," he spoke softly. "I'm no seer, but I think this is a new beginning."

"This is how I find out? Unbelievable, I thought all this time you could see the future," she backed away from him and clutched her chest, feigning shock. He rolled his eyes, abandoning the attempt at serious conversation. She couldn't help but laugh after a few moments. The pair could never keep a straight face around one another. Everything turned into a joke between them, even significant conversations like this. They always seemed to brush off the important and difficult discussions with a witty diversion. Perhaps this was what Odin was talking about when he claimed they weren't ready.

"Very funny, but I am serious. You shouldn't fear yourself," Loki returned to the subject. Caris's laughter left her and she couldn't bring her eyes to his.

"Would you?" she licked her lips thoughtfully. "If you were me, would you fear yourself?"

Volstagg's booming laughter demanded their attention before Loki could respond. Ale streams were still visible on either side of the large man's thick and braided beard as he set foot on the balcony.

"You two must see this! Lady Sif has challenged Thor," he chuckled as he spoke. His round nose and cheeks were bright red, even in the dull light of the night; a visible sign of his overindulgence. Loki sat, still a bit baffled and unsure of how to respond to his dear friend's question. He shook his head to clear the sort of daze, and realized what Volstagg had said. He forced a laugh to his lips as he looked up at the great warrior.

"She's already gone through Fandral and Hogun?" Loki rose to his feet, attempting to sound amused.

"Indeed," Volstagg truly found it all exceedingly amusing. "Thor felt the need to prove his masculinity."

"Care to join us, my lady?" Loki offered a hand to his friend.

"Of course, I'd never miss an opportunity to see your brother make a fool of himself," she accepted his offering with a weak smile. Their conversation was still fresh in both of their minds. Caris felt no amount of humor could help sway the sick feeling deep within her stomach that continued to resurface, much like her headache. They seemed like dark omens. The unknown of what the omens were alluding to was what worried her the most.

When they rejoined the party, Sif and Thor were in mid combat, both of their arm muscles flexing against the weight of the other. Their clasped fists teetered towards both sides, but a winner could not be foreseen yet. Loki joined in on Volstagg's taunting of Thor while Fandral and Hogun sat to the side with dampened egos. Caris watched her friends, not quite feeling like joining their banter. As Sif had brought Thor's hand only a quarter of the way, he lost his cocky smile and brought a look of frustration and concentration into play. Before Caris's very eyes, Thor's face began to lose detail.

Caris blinked a few times, but his face wouldn't grow any clearer. None of the faces around the room were clear; in fact, the room wasn't clear. It was as if a soft haze had settled in the place, yet she was the only one aware of it. She rubbed her eyes with the palms of her hands. This only seemed to make matters worse. Their faces began to pulse, showing their true image of her friends one moment and the next, the faces of people she didn't know- men.

The flashing faces of the unfamiliar men continued to grow bodies beneath them, each wearing a dull, tan uniform.

A sharp pain demanded Caris's attention. She couldn't help but wince as the pain returned.

"Something wrong?" Loki immediately turned to her in concern.

"No, I'm fine, it's only a little-" her hands flew to her head and her eyelids pressed together to try to expel the next spasm. It was as if she was submerged into boiling water.

"Caris?" she heard Loki's voice through the fog in her mind. The others' attention was brought to her as well, causing them to halt their activities. The ache became crippling like a searing hot saber had been plunged through her forehead. She crumpled to the ground as Loki held her.

She screamed out in agony, the pain only getting worse. Loki was sent into a panic, utterly confused. Caris's eyes opened, but she only saw the image of the uniformed men before her. It was as if they were soliders… Caris didn't know them, but she knew what they were. They were human and they were soldiers in an army. She recognized the uniforms after a moment feeling like she had always known, but wasn't aware of her knowing. The fatigues were that of the British Army. Earth.

Another surge of pain assaulted her. Her mind was trying desperately to piece together the fragments of images and words she was receiving. A set of four digits kept appearing in the painful vision: 1918.

"What is wrong with her?" Fandral asked.

"She merely collapsed and started screaming," Volstagg reported, dumbfounded as the rest of them.

"We must bring her to father," Loki demanded as his voice continued to get farther away. She could still feel his arms around her. None of what she was seeing made sense to her. Soldiers. British Army. Earth. 1918. But why? What did it all mean? What had triggered this episode? What was happening to her?

Her screaming did not cease until the pain ceased and all she saw was black.

* * *

"Where is she?" Loki stormed into his parents' quarters, searching for his father. There was a parade behind him. Odin stood at an enormous golden desk overlooking royal documents. He looked up at his son, puzzled by his behavior.

"What do you mean, my son?"

"You know damn well what I mean, father! Where did you send Caris to?" the prince fumed accusingly. Frigga entered, just as lost in the conversation as her husband.

"Loki, father had nothing to do with this!" Thor tried to get his brother to back down.

"Explain yourself, I do not understand," Odin pressed.

"You explain yourself, father! You feared her power so you sent her away!" Loki pointed a harsh finger in his father's face.

"I did no such thing."

"Then tell me why she has vanished!" Loki demanded.

"She has vanished?" Odin felt an icy chill run the length of his spine.

"Indeed, we all witnessed it," Sif spoke up, bowing her head.

"Come with me," Odin said ominously. The group shared a collective glance wondering what sinister magic was at play. As quickly as they could, they sped across the rainbow bridge where they would seek the council of Heimdall, Keeper of the Bifrost and Seer of All. He was as big as Thor with dark skin and golden eyes that never seemed to close. In his golden armor, he seemed a statue as he held his greatsword which acted as a key to the Nine Realms. He had anticipated their coming, standing at attention as the king entered. "Where has she gone?"

"I know not, my king," Heimdall reported. "She has vanished beyond my endless sight."

"You cannot see her anywhere?" Loki stepped in, worry painting his face.

"Not at this time."

"What does that mean?" Loki growled.

"That she is gone from this time," Heimdall clarified, but didn't seem to be any more understood. The only thing Loki heard were the words, 'she is gone.'

* * *

 **AN** : I have changed this chapter. Let's just say I'm so much happier with it now.

From now on, I will most likely be posting every other day or so in order to take the time to clean up and flesh out my work before I publish it.

I give total props to people who update daily. I never realized how much of a challenge it is. You are legit gods.

Thanks again for all of the alerts! Please review if you wish, I hope you enjoy and see you soon :)


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